Taras Mykytyn, ESEP

President-Elect-2018 | President-2019 | President-Past-2020

Mr. Taras Alexander Mykytyn has over 25 years of systems engineering experience developing, integrating, testing, and deploying complex systems and services into operations. Taras has been invaluable exercising his systems engineering and program management skills. He has specifically worked in technology areas, such as Human-Language Technology, Customer Relationship Management, AI processing systems, IT services and Mission services, large-scale storage systems, and real-time processing systems. He has found his experience to be extremely rewarding and challenging from technical, programmatic, and operational perspectives. Agency-focused, IC-focused, commercial applications, and IT system and support services has provided depth and breadth in addressing challenging operational needs for the IC and DoD. All of this encompasses extensive (>25 years) program management (PM) and systems engineering (SE) experience at the enterprise (IC and corporate), program (>$100M), and project (<$100M) levels, including implementation and approval of: enterprise-level planning, tactical and strategic services, resource and budget planning, integrated program schedules and roadmaps, program risks and mitigation plans, and alignment with Federal Government/IC/DoD/NSA policies and standards. His more recent achievements includes management of a $2B portfolio; developing the Customer Account Plan, technology and program roadmap, building partnerships with industry and key technology partners, establishing executable plans for organic growth and new opportunities for a major IC customer.

Taras earned a BS from Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, in Systems Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering. His final project was on a “Voice-Controlled Wheelchair for Quadriplegics”. He also earned a MS from UMCP in Engineering Management with a minor in Systems Engineering with research dissertation on “Managing Large Scale Programs with Automated Tools”. He also acquired a Defense Acquisition University (DoD) Systems Engineering – Level III Certification and a Program Management Level II Certification. Taras also received a National Intelligence Merit Unit Citation; Special Achievement Team Award and a Director’s Team Excellence Award.

Taras is the proud father of two daughters that are very intelligent and growing into exceptional young ladies. Oldest daughter, Paula, is an elementary school teacher in San Diego, CA. Her focus is on helping developmental children attain their greatest potential and progress through their education successfully. Youngest daughter, Anna, is in her second year in college, as a bio-chemistry and French major. High expectations for Anna to continue through to attain her PhD and perform research on genetic and cancer research.

Taras enjoys traveling, photography, museums and art work, garden and nature centers, and playing tennis, volleyball, and golf. He enjoys all types of music and concerts at small forums, where the atmosphere is intimate and engaging. Favorite concert hall is the Strathmore in Bethesda, MD, where he has seen multiple performances from Jazz to classical to youth orchestras. He has always been an avid Apple Computer fan, since exposure to the initial Macintosh in 1984, where Drexel University was the 1st university to partner with Apple to bring their new product to colleges. Taras has met Steve Jobs personally (as NeXT Computer CEO in 1996), where 5 of employees at the Agency sat down with him for a 1 ½ hour session to discuss the state of the union of the computer industry, direction the technology world was heading, and where industry needed to change (aka mobility). He found this session exhilarating, engaging, and brilliant.

Taras volunteers his time not only with INCOSE but he has interest in our local student community. Taras volunteers with Howard County high school students through the Engineering Design and Development class. He engages with the students three times a year to assist them with their project and to ensure progress to a final design review. Taras believes this is an excellent way to give back to the community and to our future scientists and engineers.